Arranged to My Best Friend

11.

I apologize for it taking seven months for me to update. Life has just been crazy. I hope all of you are doing well.

~~~

RYDER

"Welcome to Miami. If first time visiting, please take a minute and come to the gift shop for..." I ignored the rest since I knew what was left to come. There would be talk of souvenirs and tours and other stuff that I was not interested in.

Sorry, I'm a little irritable.

My phone died on the plane because I had drained its battery with listening to music. The person I was sitting next to snored so loudly, I'm sure residents in California heard it. Last, but not least, I was aggravated with the fact I didn't know about this until three in the morning. Leave it to my father to keep important information from me until the last minute.

I ran a hand through my disheveled hair and scanned the cards, walking over when I saw my name. The driver and I went to the bag area, collecting my duffel. When we got to the black sleek car outside, I ducked my head and slid in the back.

Gosh, I really didn't want to be here.

We started driving and I let my head drop against the seat cushion, closing my eyes. I was tired and cranky and just wanted to sleep away the day. More to the point though, I wanted to see Brie and do everything I could to apologize. I hadn't meant what I said. It was wrong for me to smack that in her face. Like me, Brie had no control over what happened. She lost her mom only weeks before he packed up and left. Our fathers may be different in a lot of ways, but there was one similarity: they both abandoned their kids. Brie's physically, mine emotionally and mentally. Kyle hasn't been a father to me in a long time.

By the time I got to the hotel, I was praying that my father decided to swallow a chill pill this morning and I could get through the day in peace. I debated on telling him or not that I knew of the email he sent to Brie, but because it was a business trip, and I really wasn't in the mood for a yelling match. I don't know if it would be the wisest idea.

I checked in at the front desk, scratching at the back of my neck awkwardly when I noticed that a few of the other guests had thirteen and older daughters. Because of their giggles and gasps, they knew who I was.

This is what I get for being the good looking son of a well-known marketing guru.

"Hi, Ryder," three of them chorused.

I plastered on a fake smile. "Hey, ladies."

"Who is this?" One of them threw a cell phone screen in my face. It was a picture of me and Brie.

A real smile drew upon my lips. "That's uh..." I rolled my bottom lip into my mouth. Should I tell them she was my girlfriend or fiancée? Hmm... let's see how girlfriend plays out. "She's my girlfriend."

"Are you serious?" The second of the three squealed. "Aw, you guys are so cute!"

"Thanks," I chuckled.

The one who showed me the picture raised an eyebrow. "You've never talked about having a girlfriend."

Is that jealously in her tone?

"Yeah, well we wanted to keep it out of the public eye for the first couple months. Just have us time, y'know? But now we're ready," I explained. "We're getting quite serious," I added a bit sheepishly.

"Like ring serious?" The third demanded.

I shrugged, grinning. "I guess we'll see."

"Well I think you're cute. I can see you care a lot about her. Your eyes light up and you can't keep a smile off your face," the second told me.